In a recent retrospective celebrating the 10th anniversary of John Wick, producer David Leitch and director Chad Stahelski shared some fascinating insights about a pivotal moment in the film. Keanu Reeves, known for his passionate dedication to his roles, played a crucial part in ensuring a heart-wrenching scene made it to the final cut, as per Deadline. (Also Read: Keanu Reeves is Hollywood’s youngest 60-year-old with 5 films in pipeline, a hit novel and more)
‘We were told it’s back luck’
It’s hard to picture the iconic assassin ending his story on a happy note, especially after the emotional devastation brought on by the death of his puppy. David recounted the initial resistance they faced, revealing, “We were told, it’s bad luck. It’s bad juju. It’s Old Yeller; you can’t do this! No one will want to see this on-screen; you’re going to alienate the audience.”
He argued, “We’re going to execute people at close range; killing the dog is one thing, but what about the brutal massacre of all these human beings? Are they going to be able to accept that?” Their commitment to crafting a true genre film guided their decision-making, as per the publication.
In the film, Keanu portrays John Wick, a retired assassin whose life takes a tragic turn when thugs steal his beloved car and kill the puppy gifted to him by his late wife. This brutal act sets him on a relentless quest for vengeance against the very criminal world he once left behind.
‘Okay, this is the worst idea’
Chad added, “Dave and I were very in sync on how we were going to shoot the scene. We were going to use a baby lens; John gets hit hard in the head, so it’s going to be dream-like; the dog death happens off-camera, and all you are going to see in the aftermath is this trail of blood making it look like the puppy tried to crawl to him.”
Recalling the day of the shoot, Chad described a vulnerable moment where Keanu acted with a stuffed dog, embodying his character’s grief. “He’s all beat up. He looks awful in his pajamas. Everyone behind the monitors must have thought, okay, this is the worst idea; these first-time directors are done,” Chad said.
Despite calls for an alternate ending where the puppy survives, Keanu firmly supported the original vision. “Keanu stood up for us,” Chad noted, “and eventually, they just felt, f*** it, let’s see what these guys can do.”
About John Wick
The emotional weight of that moment paid off; John Wick (2014) went on to gross over USD 86 million globally, with the franchise surpassing the USD 1 billion mark with John Wick: Chapter 4, as per the publication.
The saga is far from over, with the upcoming film From the World of John Wick: Ballerina, featuring Ana de Armas, set to hit theatres on June 6, 2025. Additionally, Donnie Yen will reprise his role as the skilled assassin Caine in a new Lionsgate film, while a prequel anime project is also underway.
Fans can also look forward to the limited series The Continental and the sequel series John Wick: Under the High Table in development.